Dee Snider has been dropped from San Francisco Pride after he expressed support for KISS‘s Paul Stanley‘s recent transphobic statement.
The Twisted Sister frontman was scheduled to perform the band’s song “We’re not gonna take it” as the unofficial rallying cry of this year’s SF Pride Parade & Celebration on its center stage. The Pride Parade will be held on June 25.
SF Pride said in a statement that when they were notified about a tweet in which Snider expressed support for Stanley’s transphobic statement, they were heartbroken and angry.
“The message perpetuated by that tweet casts doubt on young trans people’s ability to self-identify their gender,” the statement added.
In a Twitter post last weekend, the KISS singer-guitarist called gender reassignment for children a “sad and dangerous fad.”
Snider, who has been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, sent a tweet defending Stanley’s statement, saying, “You know what? There was a time where I ‘felt pretty’ too. Glad my parents didn’t jump to any rash conclusions! Well said, @PaulStanleyLive.”
“Transgender people, particularly transgender women and children of color, are disproportionately affected by hate and violence. And with transphobia proliferating and becoming more and more enshrined in law throughout the country – we have to stand up for the most impacted among us,” says SF Pride.
They added, “We have mutually agreed to part ways, but appreciate Dee seeing this as a teachable moment and a reminder that even allies need to be educated to ensure that they are not casually promoting transphobia.”
Responding to the news in a statement posted on Facebook, Snider said, “I was not aware the Transgender community expects fealty and total agreement with all their beliefs and any variation or deviation is considered ‘transphobic.'”
He continued, “So, my lifetime of supporting the Transgender community’s right to identify as they want and honoring whatever changes they may make in how they present themselves to the world isn’t enough? Why not?“
Snider said he believes children’s choices should be supported and accepted by their parents but argued kids do not have the “mental capabilities to make rational, logical decisions on things of a magnitude that will affect them for the rest of their lives.”
(Photo: Alfred Nitsch)
Music News Service distributed by Frankly Media. Copyright(c) 2023 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved